Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, recently identified himself as a capitalist while rejecting socialist labels. However, previous social media activity suggests otherwise. The Detroit Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) commended El-Sayed for his climate advocacy and membership, referring to him as a ‘comrade.’
In 2019, the Detroit chapter of the DSA posted a message expressing support for El-Sayed following his candidacy for governor: ‘Welcome to the team comrade,’ accompanied by a photo of El-Sayed. This came shortly after El-Sayed endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders in Sanders’ presidential campaign, which the DSA publicly supported.
The DSA chapter thanked El-Sayed for his endorsement of Sanders, describing their movement as ‘unstoppable.’ Though the DSA has not officially endorsed El-Sayed for his Senate campaign, their local backing suggests some overlap between El-Sayed’s platform and the DSA’s ideology.
Views on Capitalism
In an interview with The New York Times, El-Sayed shared his perspective on capitalism. He explained capitalism as a system where supply and demand are used to allocate resources efficiently. He advocated for government regulation to preserve market integrity, noting, ‘If you believe in capitalism, you have to believe in government regulation to protect markets.’
El-Sayed argued that taxation of billionaires aligns with capitalist principles. He emphasized his knowledge of capitalism, mentioning his habit of reading extensively on the subject. His policy positions include support for Medicare for All, higher taxes for top earners, and stricter penalties for resource abuses by businesses.
Political Activity and Support
El-Sayed’s 2018 gubernatorial campaign garnered DSA backing, particularly for his climate-focused platform. He joined calls to repurpose General Motors plants for green initiatives following their closure affecting 14,000 workers. He was among several co-signers for the proposal, including Representative Rashida Tlaib and Natasha Fernández-Silber.
The proposal, backed by 140 co-signers, suggested that abandoned GM facilities should be converted for public use, emphasizing that such properties belong to the workers and taxpayers who have supported GM through taxes and subsidies.
Between 2017 and 2020, El-Sayed spoke at six events hosted by DSA chapters, acting as the keynote speaker at a 2019 fundraiser. DSA officials reported mobilizing resources in support of El-Sayed’s Democratic primary campaign.
El-Sayed, distancing himself from the DSA, stated to The Wall Street Journal, ‘I’m not technically or practically DSA.’ Nevertheless, socialist organizers continue to regard him as ‘a longtime friend of Detroit DSA.’
‘Our annual fundraiser is going to be [fire] this year. Chaired by the one and only Rashida Tlaib, with guest speaker Abdul El-Sayed,’ another post boasted.
The national DSA platform extends beyond El-Sayed’s Senate campaign proposals, advocating for measures such as abolishing the U.S. Senate and public ownership of large corporations, which El-Sayed has not supported.
El-Sayed has yet to address how local DSA backing might influence perceptions of his capitalist stance. Having won the Democratic primary, El-Sayed is set to contest Republican nominee Mike Rogers in the Senate race on November 3.
Reporter Leo Briceno contributed to this report.
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